It's a different learning experience!

There are several reasons why I sign up for this programme.
However, the prominent ones are:

Woo Horng Dar
Software Engineer
Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Computing
University of Portsmouth

The flexibility of this programme; As classes are conducted online via discussion forum and virtual chat rooms, I am not worried about missing any lessons. I can always log on to the discussion forum or view the chat logs, for the lessons that I have missed. Even if I did not miss any lessons, I am free to refer to past discussions or chat logs. Unlike Instructor Led Training (ILT), I need to jot down every single important points that the instructor has mentioned - perhaps while jotting down, my focus will be diversified, thus, the learning may not be as efficient. In addition, this programme has given me a wide room of flexibility that suits my schedule; as my Professional work schedule gets more hectic, I can always reduce the number of modules that I take for the semester. This allows me to focus academically rather than creating unnecessary stress, which may lead to poor results and at the end of the day, did not manage to learn the key concepts of the programme.
The e-learning industry has been evolving over the past few years and I believe that it is the primary driving force change in the 21st century education system. Therefore, it is worthwhile adapting to this type of education. My perception is that once I step into the working society, I would have to learn and pick up new technologies by myself. I told myself, "Why not take up this programme to train and cultivate the ability to learn by myself?"

The programme has been structured in a way that has cultivated me to be a much more resourceful and disciplined person. In addition, I am not afraid of raising my opinions to the facilitator and classmates. Unlike ILT, I have been very timid and afraid that I will make any mistakes while raising any opinions - this has led me not to raise any opinions during my lessons.

I believed that it has made a difference in my career. The reason being to sign up and complete this programme with respectful grades is not easy. Especially, when I am working (as a Software Engineer) and studying concurrently. Employers see me as a much disciplined person with good attitude towards the things I need to do. Furthermore, I will be completing my degree in a different mode, which is not done by most people. This has made me a little unique from other people.

I will definitely recommend this programme to my friends and colleagues. The reasons being besides the university has been one of the best universities in 2003, learning via a different mode is a whole new experience. Especially to my colleagues; they are attending ILT courses and would complain that they are very restless the next day. I can understand that after a hectic day at work, one has to drag him or herself to classes and force him/herself to pay attention to the lecturer. At the end of the day, they may not gain the maximum from the courses.

With this programme (in online mode), they will be able to study at their own pace and at their peak concentration. They will not miss any essential points of the lessons even if there is a lesson on a particular day and they choose not to attend - held up by work etc. With these plus points, I am very sure that most of my friends and colleagues will be convinced.

About the University of Portsmouth

The University of Portsmouth has been a provider of higher education for 125 years. Since its foundation in 1869, the institution has grown considerably and has built its reputation as a centre of academic excellence. Since the award of the first degree, the University has maintained its commitment to promoting excellence in teaching and learning and research across a wide range of disciplines.

About PurpleTrain.com
PurpleTrain.com, the global e-Learning provider, started out as Asia's first e-Learning provider in 1999. Today, it is the largest e-Learning provider outside the United States, with over 72,000 e-users, and offers Business, IT education and Health Sciences programmes, corporate training courses and education-related services.

PurpleTrain.com is a 100%-owned venture of Informatics Holdings Limited, a leading training and education provider listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange. Informatics Holdings Ltd is a world-class institute for quality lifelong learning services and made the ranking among Forbes Global's 200 Best Small Companies in the world.

About Informatics Group
The Informatics Group, listed on the mainboard of the Stock Exchange of Singapore, was established in 1983, and is a multinational corporation providing lifelong learning services in information technology and business management. Informatics presently has a global network spanning more than 50 countries, offering programmes from O/A Levels (for international students) to undergraduate and postgraduate degree completions. The Company has won many awards including the Singapore Brand Awards 2002 and 2003, the Singapore Quality Class for Private Education Organisations (SQC for PEO) as well as the People Developer Standards Award. For more information, please visit http://www.informaticsgroup.com